Improvement in seed-planters



S. T. HOLLY.

Seed-Planter.

Patented June 16. 1857.

N.PETERS. PHOTO-LHHDGRAPHER, WASmNGTON, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S. T. HOLLY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT lN SEED-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 17,568, dated June 16, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. T. HOLLY, of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Seed-Planting Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of my improvement, the plane of section passing through the center, as indicated byx a: in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, y y in Fig. 3 showing the plane of section. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detached inverted plan of the distributing-wheel. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the machine, 2 z in Fig.3 showing the plane of section. 7

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists in the employment or use of an indicator, arranged and operated as will be presently shown, whereby the dropping of the seed is indicated, and also the spots or places where it is dropped.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed todescribe it.

A represents the frame of the machine, the back part of which is supported by a wheel, B, and the front end or part by a wheel, 0, which is fitted in an adjustable arm, D, attached to the front end of the frame A. The axle E of the Wheel B has a bevel-pinion, F, upon it, and this bevel-pinion gears into a bevel-wheel, G, which is placed loosely on the end of a shaft, H, said shaft being placed lougitudinally in the frame A.

On the shaft H a collar, I, is permanently secured, said collar having a circular disk, J, attached,which disk is pressed against a spring, a, within a recess in the back of the wheel G, the disk J being pressed against the spring a by a spiral spring, K, which is placed on the shaft H. The disk J, in consequence of being pressed in said recess, binds sufficiently tight therein to cause the wheel G to rotate with the shaft H.

L is a lever by which the clutch is operated, the lower end of the lever fitting in a groove made in the collar I.

The end of the shaft H, opposite to the end where the wheel G is attached, has a wheel, M, upon it. This wheel M gears into a pinion, N, which is secured on one end of a shaft, 0, said shaft being placed in the lower part of a hopper, P, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3.

The hopper P is of circular form, and may be slightly conical, and is permanently secured on the frame A. The hopper is divided by a vertical or slightly-inclined partitionplate, 1), into two compartments, 0 d, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The compartment 0, however, is considerably larger than the compartment d.

Q represents a circular plate, which is permanently secured at its center to a support, 6, which is secured to the frame A. This plate may be considered as the bottom of the hop per, but its diameter does not equal that of the bottom of the hopper, and a space is consequently allowed all around the plate Q and the lower edge of the hopper.

On the plate Q a distributingwheel, It, is placed. This wheel works on the upper part of the support e as a center. The outer edge or periphery of the wheel R is fitted and works underneath a flange,f, at the bottom of the hopper, at its inner edge, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. The wheel R has radial slots or openings 9 made through it at equal dis-' tances apart, as seen in Fig. 3.

S represents a circular plate or wheel, which is placed directly over the wheel R and upon the same center, 6. The edge or periphery of the plateor wheel S has a series of radial projections, it, upon it. These projections are fitted in the slots or openings 9, and close them, with the exception of openings 1', which are formed by filing recesses in the projections h, as seen in Fig. 3.. The plateor wheel S, it will be seen or understood, rotates with the wheel R.

The under side of the wheel R has bevelteeth It upon it, and these bevel-teeth gear into bevel-teeth lwhich are upon the wheel M, said wheel having two sets of teeth formed at its periphery, one set of bevel form, and the other set being parallel with the shaft H, as seen in Fig. 1.

To the under side of the plate Q a lever, m, is attached or pivotedm being the fulcrum-pin or pivot. One end of this lever mhas a spring, 0, attached to it, and the opposite end has a flat plate, 1), formed on it, said plate working under an opening, q, made in the plate Q, and the wheel M, said pins acting against the rod within the compartment (1 of the hopper.

On the inner side of the rim of the wheel It on which the bevel-teeth k are formed projections r are made, (see Fig. 4,) and these projections, as the wheel R- rotates, actuate the plate p, which is, in fact, a valve.

T represents a conveyingspout, which is secured to the frameA directly underneath the opening (1 in the plate Q. In the upper part of the spout T a valve, U, is placed. This valveis suspended at its upper end within the spout T, the valve being attached to a rod, 8, which passes transversely through the spout and is bent in right-angular form, so as to be actuated by pins 1", attached to the wheel M near its periphery and at equal distances apart.

' The rod 8 has a spiral spring, if, placed on it,

said spring having a tendency to keep the valve closed. 7

On the shaft 0, within the hopper P, a circular brush, a, is placed, the edge of which brush bears against a socket, 1 containing a stationary brush, a, beneath both of which brushes the recesses 6 pass during the rotation of the plate or wheel b.

A represents the furrow-share, placed di-- represents acoverin g share placed back of theeonveying-spout.

To the rod 8 an arm,a, is attached, and the end of this arm is fitted in the end of a notched bar, I), which works on a fulcrum pin, 0', on the frame A. This bar b serves as an indicator, and shows, when its outer end is depressed, that the valve Uis open and the seed allowed to drop. The object of'this indicator is to insure the dropping of the seed at the precise places, for the attendant, by operating the lever L, controls the dropping of the seed.

As the machine is drawn along the distributing-wheel R is rotated by the wheel M on the shaft H, motion being given to the shaft II from the axle E by the wheel G and pinion F, the wheel Gr being connected with the shaft H by means of the spring K and disk J, forming a clutch. As the distributing-wheel Rrot-ates the apertures i become filled with seed, the hopper P of course. being filled with seed, and as the apertures pass over the aperture or opening q in the plate Q the valve or platep is actuated by one of the projections r and thrown to one side, or from underneath the opening q, the seed passing down into the spout T, where it is caught and retained by the plate or valve U. This plate or valve is opened or actuated at the proper time by the pins r'on s. The plate or valve U is opened at greater or less intervals, according to the distance or space between the pins 1", and a greater or less quantity of seed may be deposited at a time, as required.

The plate or valve p serves to equalize the dropping of the seed. Its vibration or movement also serves to prevent seed from sticking or adhering to the wheel R and plate S. The jarring or concussion also has a tendency to cause the recesses 13 to fill readily.

' In cases where the surface of the ground is very uneven it will be seen that the seed cannot be dropped at equal distances if an arbitrary movement is given to the distributingwheel. To compensate for the unevenness of the ground the clutch is employed, so that the motion of the wheel R may be stopped and the dropping of the seed retarded, when necessary, in order to insure the planting of the seed at equal distances apart. cator shows each time the valve or plate U opens, and the attendant, by operating the lever L, controls the dropping of the seed, so that it will be planted at the desired spots.

I would remark that the field is fur-rowed in one direction before the implement is used. I would also remark that the seed may be planted in drills by removing the valve or plate TI, and that a varying speed may be giventhe distributing-wheel by having several-concentric gears on the wheel G and the pinion F arranged to slide on the axle E, so that the pinion may' be placed in gear with either of them. Difierent plates or wheels S may be used, the projections h of which may have varying-sized recessest' made in them in order to regulate the quantity of seed to be planted or dropped.

. The rotating brush a and the stationary brush Q7 effectually prevent the seed from clogging in the recesses i. The rotating brush agitates the seed, while the stationary brush serves partially as a cut-off and partially as a clearer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-'- The employment or use of the indicator 1), connected with the valve U, and arranged and operated as shown, for the purpose' herein set forth.

SOLOMON T. HOLLY.

Witnesses:

J. G. M ANLOVE, NEWTON CRAWFORD.

The indi- 

